


With a little help

by nothing_much



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Dates, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-20 04:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19986268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothing_much/pseuds/nothing_much
Summary: “Ok, I’ll help you” the guy stated, and Robert made a relieved sound and thanked him profusely. Before the guy continued “Pick me up at 7pm tomorrow, wear something nice, bring your car, I’ll make reservations” he said and started to close the door.“Wait” he opened the door again, “give me your phone” Robert looked at him, now he was confused, but he did as he was told, unlocked it and handed it over. The man put his number in, and pressed call. Before he closed the door in Roberts surprised face.





	1. Chapter 1

“You can do this” Robert thought as he lifted his hand and braced himself to knock on the door in front of him. He gave a shrug, and knocked, twice, trying to sound decisive. He looked around, and was relieved that the corridor was empty. The man living in the flat was the only openly gay man Robert knew. He really needed his help.

There was a brief pause before the sound of feet padding towards the door, someone mumbling, before they opened the door, looking quite tired, and somewhat confused.

“Yees,” the guy in the doorway said, “can I help you?”. He definitely didn’t sound like he wanted to help Robert, not at all. Gorgeous, but not helpful. Robert almost turned around, and left without saying anything, then he remembered why he was there, and why this was important to him. ‘Vic’ he thought to himself as a reminder, ‘Vic’.

“Yes, I hoped so” Robert answered before he could change his mind. “I would love some help” he continued, ”My name is Robert Sugden, I live down the corridor, and I was told you might be able to help me with a, well, a kind of problem I guess”. He thought he saw some more confusion, and some recognition in the face in front of him, but he decided to go for it, and he hoped for the best as he started to explain his dilemma.

“I have a blind date this Friday,” he told the guy, “my sister and step-mum set me up with this bloke they know, and I can’t mess up, because that would mess things up with them too” he tried to explain. There was a brief paus, while he tried to figure out what the frown on the man’s face could mean. It looked irritated, confused, and curious at the same time. He managed to continue explaining.

“The problem is, I’ve never been on a date with a bloke before, and I think I need some help”. He shut his mouth to keep from rambling, and looked expectantly for a reaction, waiting for an answer.

“Let me get this straight,” the man said raising one of his eyebrows from the frown, and he smirked at the word straight, “You need my help, for a date?”

“Yes,” Robert replied, “I can’t mess up, and…” he took a deep breath.

“Are you even gay?” the man asked. It was a fair question, Robert had a reputation as a lady’s man on campus.

He shrugged, and went with the truth, no point in lying at this point. “I’m not straight,” he said, “I’ve hooked up with the occasional guy, and I even had a relationship with one, but I’ve never been on a date with one, and I figure it’s not really the same” he finished.

“How could you be in a relationship without going on any dates?” Aaron looked curious. “Didn’t you want to be seen with a guy?” he asked.

“Nah, nothing like that,” Robert answered, “We met in a bar, on a night out, and he kind of just moved in for a couple of months, we didn’t have date nights, or any kind of dates. I think? We just hung out, studied, made out, and yeah, kind of” he went quiet.

“And what would you think is different when dating a guy, from dating a girl?” the man asked.

“Well, if I took a girl on a date, I’d choose a nice romantic restaurant, I’d pick her up at her house, bring flowers, opening the car door for her, both there and at the restaurant where I’d pull out her chair for her, and order for her. I don’t really know if that’s something blokes like?” Robert told him. The guy huffed.

“Ok, I’ll help you” the guy stated, and Robert made a relieved sound and thanked him profusely. Before the guy continued “Pick me up at 7pm tomorrow, wear something nice, bring your car, I’ll make reservations” he said and started to close the door.

“Wait” he opened the door again, “give me your phone” Robert looked at him, now he was confused, but he did as he was told, unlocked it and handed it over. The man put his number in, and pressed call. Before he closed the door in Roberts surprised face.

***

“So, tell me about this guy” Aaron said on their date Tuesday. Robert knew it was Aaron, because he’d written that as his contact name in Robert’s phone.

They had met up, and Aaron had opened his own car door, and pulled out his own chair, in the nice Mexican restaurant he’d chosen. He’d ordered for himself, a chilli and a beer. And now he was looking expectantly at Robert.

“I don’t know that much,” he told Aaron. “Only that he’s from the same village I am, but I’ve never met him. I’ve been away when he’s been there, and he’s been away when I’ve been there. His name is Ron, and he stay’s with his mum at the pub when his home from Uni.” He looked at Aaron somewhat concerned as he seemed to choke on his food.

“Oh” he gasped when he’d cleared his throat enough. “This Ron, what does he do?”

Robert found it easier to speak about some faceless guy he never met, than ask about the gorgeous guy in front of him. He was a total 10, and would never be interested in the mess that was Robert.

“My sister told me he runs a company with her husband, they have a junk yard. Her husband runs it though, while this guy is away at Uni, studying management and econ. She says that they are good friends, which is one of the reasons I can’t mess this up! The other one is that he lives in the same house as my step mum, so even if it doesn’t go well, we’ll have to meet when I stay.” He explained.

Aaron nodded. They continued the night with small talk, well Robert did the most of the talking, but it was relaxed, and he found Aaron both safe and exciting. When he dropped him off, before parking, Aaron looked him in the eyes.

“Well, this was a very nice first date, Robert, now you ask me out tomorrow at 7pm, and arrange for a second date” he said. Robert smiled at that.

“Very well, Aaron, would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow? I’ll pick you up at 7pm? Aaron smirked and started to leave.

“And Aaron,” Robert called after him, “wear something nice”. He heard Aaron snicker.

***

The second date went equally well, and Robert was happy to agree on a third. Even though it wasn’t real dates. Just practise he had to remind himself. He kind of felt sorry for this Ron character, there was no way he could live up to the standard Aaron sat. He was a 10 through and through. He looked gorgeous, he was kind, caring and funny, he had a sense of humour that made Robert snort with laughter more than once. He was great company.

Robert wished this third date would end with something more than just banging a car door, but he didn’t want to say anything. Aaron was just helping him out, wasn’t he?

The third date was ‘date night’ at Aaron’s. He’d ordered Chinese takeout, and they played some goofy game on his Play station, while eating, laughing and talking.

Before leaving Aaron asked Robert how he would get to where he was going the next day. Robert shrugged, he’d probably take the bus.

“I could drive you, I just live a few doors away” Aaron said with a smirk. Robert knew Aaron was going home for the weekend, and he gathered that he lived in a village close to Emmerdale, where Robert was heading, so he accepted the ride.

***

He regretted it immediately when Aaron pulled up in an old, small but very well cared for car. He would have to sit this close to Aaron for an hour. It would be agony, to not at least touch the man.

He managed, almost. He ‘accidently’ bumped into him a couple of times, but Aaron didn’t seem to catch on. The trip seemed to be more quiet than usual. Robert was plotting how to get out of the blind date, and how to make Aaron want to go on a real date with him. He was so absorbed in his thoughts, that he missed his chance when he suddenly realised that they had stopped the car, and when he looked outside, he saw the front of the pub. He reached over the car seats and grabbed his overnight bag before he got out of the car. As he turned, Aaron closed the door behind him, from the inside, with a short “bye”, and just drove off.

Rude, Robert thought, before he collected himself and went into the pub.

He was greeted with a shout and a hug from a whirl of colours he really hoped was his sister, as he hugged back. It was. He stepped back and took a good look at her.

“So, how was the ride up?” she asked with a cheery smile before she started telling him about something Marlon done. He relaxed as she ushered him into the back rooms, and heard someone coming through the back door, going up the stairs, disappearing into an unknown room. He listened to his sister talk, and finally when he got a word in he started.

“Vic, about this date…” he didn’t get further before she cut him off.

“No, nope, no, you’re not cancelling. He’s looking forward to it, I’ve spoken to him. He’s finally hyped up about it, it only took me a couple of months to get him to reluctantly agree, and it wasn’t until this week he seemed to warm up to it, so, NO, you’re not cancelling on him. Give him a chance, please, for me!”

Robert shrugged defeatedly.

“He’ll pick you up at 7pm, and drive yous into Hotten, where you get to pick the restaurant” she told him, and then she left.

He went up to his room, no point in hanging around. He had a couple of hours to read up on his school work, and get ready for the date. As he showered, he heard someone move about outside, but when he was done, he seemed to be alone on the top floor. The illusive person, and probably his date, seemed to have left.

When it was close to 7pm he took his phone and wallet, straightened his clothes, and checked his hair, before he descended the stairs. He heard voices behind the door, and guessed his date was already there. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for whatever, and hope that it would at least not be a horrible night.

He opened the door to the room. Inside he saw his sister and the back of his date. She smiled over the guy’s shoulder, and raised her eyebrows. The guy, Ron, started to turn.

It took Robert serious amount of time to realise that it was Aaron standing there, and even more time to realise that Aaron was his blind date. Aaron who was wearing a quite evil smirk, and one very, raised eyebrow. Robert shut his mouth, which he realised had been open.

“I will tell you Robert” Aaron said, “that this is the first time I’ve ever had to teach someone how to date me” he finished the sentence with a real smile.

"I should have known when you said a few doors down" Robert sighed.

“Somehow, I know this will be a really nice ‘first’ date” Vic said.


	2. Phone calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well couldn't totally leave it there.

Vic sighed, loudly. It was the fifth time he’d called today. He wouldn’t stop until she picked up the phone, she was sure of it. She gave in, and picked up the phone to answer it. 

“Robert” she said slowly, “to what do I owe the pleasure?” she already knew the answer, but still. 

“Vic” came the fast and firm reply, “this isn’t working, I…”

“You WILL not cancel” she broke in, she could almost hear him sag. She knew she’d used black mail to get him to agree, and she knew that he was stressed out about the whole thing, but she would not let him cancel, and he knew it.

“I don’t know how to do this” it was almost a whine, and she smirked down the phone.

“Welcome to real life Robert, where we all don’t know sh*t, but still manage to survive and thrive” she almost felt sorry for him. But this was more important than any of that. She was sure that this was a good match for her brother and her best friend, now that she knew of her brother’s preferences. The least they both owed her to try. 

“Well you go out with men,” Robert said, and she snorted at that. “You know what they like to do on a date, and so on” he continued. 

“Robert, I don’t go out with men. I’ve dated a few, but.” She took a breath and started again. “Men go out with me, they arrange it for me, I don’t know what men like to be treated to on a date, I know what Adam like, and you know.”

“Please” he pleaded, “help me.”

“You live in a dorm, isn’t there someone there you could ask, there must be women there who you can ask” 

She could hear him grumble on the other side of the line. When he spoke again he sounded exasperated. 

“I have asked some of my female friends, but they seem to think I want to take them on a date, and keep telling me what kind of food and flowers they like, and I’m not sure about this guy you told me about likes sushi, or chrysanthemums?” 

Vic choked on nothing. She could see it in her mind, Robert turning up at the door with chrysanthemums, and then taking Aaron on a date in a sushi restaurant, it was hilarious, and she had no way of controlling her laugh. There was a moments silence on the other side, then she could hear Robert joining in. It was a while before they could continue their conversation. 

“No, no, I don’t see that happening” Vic finally managed to say. “Don’t you have any male friends Robert” she asked. 

He huffed a little, “yeah, but it’s all female dates for them, or game nights, and I don’t think that would be great either, maybe we don’t like the same things?” he ended with a question. Vic had been careful not to tell him too much, so that they could get to know each other through each other, not through her. 

Suddenly she could hear Robert make a noise of revelation. She wondered what he’d thought about. 

“I know someone” he said slowly, “well, I don’t actually know him, but there is a gay bloke living down the corridor, maybe I could ask him?”

“That’s a great idea Rob” Vic told him, and encouraged him to go over as soon as possible, before they ended the call. Robert in a hurry, Vic with a smile.

*

Fifteen minutes later her phone rang again, she prayed that it wouldn’t be Robert again, she wasn’t up for another pep talk. As she looked at the display she saw it was Aaron calling this time. It was only his third time. And well, she’d spoken with Robert, may as well take this call to. He’d been trying to cancel on this date as much as Robert had, but she was adamant, and say what you want about blackmail. It worked. 

“Aaron” she answered, somewhat hesitant.

“Vic,” Aaron started, “About the date” he continued, then paused. 

“You are not cancelling” she told him firmly.

“Oh, no, no, not cancelling, I was just wondering about what you told him about me?” She could almost hear how he tried to sound innocent. She was immediately suspicious.

“Why?” she asked.

“Well, Vic, he was just at my door asking me for advice on how to date a man, and I recognised him from the pictures you have of him” she could hear him smile.

She had been right to set these two up.


End file.
